Minister Kurum: Earthquakes give no warning; we must be ready beforehand

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum attended a draw for 2,028 independent units in Pendik. Kurum announced that the transformation of 1.298 million homes in Istanbul had been completed, that the “Half Is on Us” campaign had been extended to December 31, 2027, and that TOKİ’s rental homes would be delivered next month.

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum attended a draw for 2,028 independent units—1,747 homes and 281 commercial units—in 45 completed blocks in the first phase of the urban transformation project in Istanbul’s Pendik district. The project is being carried out jointly by the ministry and Pendik Municipality in the Orta and Dumlupınar neighborhoods. Speaking at the ceremony at the Yunus Emre Cultural and Arts Center, Kurum emphasized that earthquakes were the main reason behind urban transformation.

“An earthquake does not tell us, ‘I am coming on this day at this hour.’ It does not send a calendar or give us a time. So what is our duty? To be ready before an earthquake strikes,” Kurum said. He added: “A possible earthquake in Istanbul is a national security issue, and the only solution is urban transformation. We are carrying out one of every two urban transformation projects in Istanbul. So far, we have completed the transformation of 1.298 million homes in Istanbul, while work continues on 291,000 independent units.”

Draw ceremony for Pendik’s Orta and Dumlupınar neighborhoods

“Half Is on Us” campaign extended through 2027

Kurum said the number of independent units for which the transformation process had begun under the “Half Is on Us” campaign, launched to encourage residents to pursue urban transformation, had reached 545,000. He said the project would provide safe homes for more than 2 million people in Istanbul. Kurum announced that the campaign, which was originally due to end this year, had been extended through December 31, 2027. He also announced that expropriation had been completed in the 23,000-square-meter Burla Biraderler Grove in central Pendik and that the area would be converted into Pendik Central National Garden.

TOKİ rental homes starting at 10,000 liras

Recalling that nearly 2 million social homes had been built through TOKİ to date and that 100,000 social homes had been allocated to Istanbul under the “Homeowner Türkiye” campaign, Kurum also provided information about the rental housing model being implemented in Istanbul for the first time. “God willing, next month we will deliver the keys to our first 1,071 rental homes to eligible beneficiaries, with rents starting at 10,000 liras. We will rent out a total of 15,000 homes in 12 districts,” Kurum said.

Recalling that 455,000 homes had been completed in the earthquake zone following the earthquakes of February 6, 2023, Kurum also referred to COP31, which will be held in Antalya, saying: “One hundred and two heads of state and government and more than 300 ministers will come to Antalya. We will host 1.5 million guests.”

Photos: Anadolu Agency

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Minister Kurum: Earthquakes give no warning; we must be ready beforehand